Argument Communities

Argument Communities

Arguments can be made anywhere we want them to be made. We can look at some of these arguments that we are making by examining the communities we use to make them in. Perceived in terms of context, argument is discussed in terms of the “audience” to whom it is addressed or in terms of the “community,” “field” or “sphere” in which it takes place. (McKerrow, p.27) By looking at a professional sports event I will address the audience and the community to explain the argument that is taking place. More specifically, the sports event that I will choose to analyze is an NFL game.

To explain the idea of argument in communities, the community itself must be defined. “Communities are typified by the specific rules which govern argumentative behavior, by social practices which determine who may speak with what authority, and by their own “display” of these rules and social practices in response to challenges from within or outside the community.”(McKerrow, p.28)

The first part of the community is defined by the specific rules that govern argumentative behavior. For a football game these rules refer to the fans in creating the community. As fans, if we want to be apart of the community, we realize there are rules that we need to abide by. Some of these rules may include good sportsmanship. For example, we may not agree with a call that an official has made, but we know in order for us to be apart of the community we must behave in a certain way. So we can practice argumentation by arguing the call, but there is a certain point where our behavior must stop. In this community it usually ends with non-verbal actions. Most fans do not resort to physical violence.

The second way in which the community is formed is by the social practices which determine who may speak with what authority. In a football game it is usually the referees. They are the ones who make the calls on the field when there is a penalty. The argument being made here is that a player or players from one team have committed a penalty against the opposing team. The referee is arguing that something illegal, in the form of professional football rules, has been performed.

The coaches are also the ones who argue in the communities through authority.